OAKLAND — Apparently, this may take awhile, this whole learning to win thing.

The Warriors are officially the youngest team in the NBA, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It’s no wonder they have struggled so far this season closing out games. The disheartening part about the Warriors’ latest stunt of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory was that it came against a team that’s supposed to be at least equally inexperienced at closing games.

Friday’s 109-104 heartbreaking loss included the Warriors’ usual vices: missed free throws, defensive lapses and missed opportunities. But what really made this one tough to swallow was that it was against the Memphis Grizzlies, one of the teams expected to vie for the Western Conference cellar. The Grizzlies, who start three rookies and rely most heavily on players who have fewer than five years of experience, have now beaten the Warriors twice this week, the first coming Monday in Memphis.

“It was a game we should’ve won. We let another one get away from us,” Stephen Jackson said. “It’s really nothing about them. I don’t plan on seeing them in the playoffs or nothing like that. Just think they played better going down the stretch.”

Though missing injured forwards Al Harrington and Corey Maggette, the Warriors had more proven veterans in key positions. Jackson had 27 points and center Andris Biedrins had 23 points and 12 rebounds. Still, the Warriors couldn’t make enough plays down the stretch.

They missed 13 free throws, six in the fourth quarter. They turned the ball over six times in the final period and allowed the Grizzlies to make 52.6 percent of their attempts.

What’s more, Jackson, the team’s leader, was one of the primary offenders. The Warriors’ fourth-quarter surge, which trimmed a 12-point deficit to one, was negated by Memphis’ third-year swingman Rudy Gay, who put the Warriors’ chances of a victory on life support with a 3-pointer from the right wing.

Guess who was supposed to be guarding him?

“I should’ve known better than to leave Rudy Gay,” Jackson said. “I gave up that big shot. And I can’t miss four free throws down the stretch of the game. I do take it on myself.”

Coach Don Nelson certainly displayed the Warriors’ youth Friday as he dipped deep into his bench. Ten players logged at least 10 minutes, a strong shift from the seven-man rotation he’s been using. But not even the hustle of hungry youngsters could prevent the Warriors from folding down the stretch. Not even the experience advantage prevented their third loss by five points or fewer.

Late in the third quarter, Memphis began to show some tenacity on both ends, changing the tide of the game. The Grizzlies closed the third quarter with an 8-0 run, which would’ve been 10-0 had Greg Buckner knocked down his free throws. Memphis created the cushion by forcing the tempo. Rookie guard O.J. Mayo and second-year guard Mike Conley attacked the Warriors in transition.

With 4.4 seconds left in the third quarter, Mayo swished a turnaround jumper to send the Warriors into the final period down 81-74.

The Grizzlies kept it rolling in the fourth quarter. A 21-footer by forward Darrell Arthur, a putback by center Marc Gasol, and a driving dunk by forward Hakim Warrick capped a 6-0 run that put the Warriors down 91-80 just over three minutes into the fourth quarter.

After Watson split a pair, forward Rudy Gay dropped the jaws of the crowd with a pull-up 3-pointer from the left wing, just beating the shot clock and giving the Warriors their largest deficit of the game, 93-81, with just over eight minutes left.

Suddenly, led by the energy of Biedrins, the Warriors came alive. He sparked a furious 14-1 rally that put the Warriors in striking distance for a victory. His three-point play on a putback started the run. The next time down he got another offensive rebound and was fouled, knocking down both free throws and pulling the Warriors to within 93-86.

After swingman Kelenna Azubuike scored six consecutive points — a 3-pointer from the left wing and a fast-break three-point play — Biedrins came up with another big play. Jackson went up for a 3-pointer, but dumped it off to a cutting Biedrins, who converted the layup in traffic and got the foul, followed by a rare screaming celebration. His free throw gave the Warriors a 95-94 lead with less than six minutes remaining.

“We’ve just got to execute and hopefully knock down shots and play good defense,” said Azubuike, who finished with 21 points and six rebounds before fouling out. “In the fourth quarter, you cannot use (fatigue) as an excuse. You’ve got to make plays to win games.”

Just don’t be surprised if it takes a while for the Warriors to learn how.

Marcus Thompson is a former sports columnist for the Bay News Group and author of "Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry." After 10 years as an NBA beat writer, he is a leading voice on the Golden State Warriors. An Oakland native, he gives us a relevant voice in the East Bay. He's been with the organization since 1999.

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